Ellen Voie, president and CEO of the Women In Trucking Association, with US Representative Mike Gallagher during a recent ride along.

Women In Trucking Association (WIT) president and CEO Ellen Voie has been working with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) on legislation to create a Women of Trucking Advisory Board with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is the co-sponsor of the bill. 

The ‘Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act‘, announced November 14, will create an advisory board of “not fewer than seven members … to contribute balanced points of view and diverse ideas regarding the strategies and objectives … to create new opportunities for women in the trucking industry,” according to WIT.

The advisory board will be appointed by the FMCSA Administrator who will then report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 

Moran co-sponsored similar legislation to create a Women in Aviation workforce bill which was passed in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.

“As the trucking industry continues to face a driver shortage, we need to examine new ways to recruit and retain drivers that are delivering Kansas goods across the country,” said Moran. “Because women are substantially underrepresented in the trucking industry, Congress should explore every opportunity to encourage and support the pursuit of careers in trucking by women.

Voie applauded Moran‘s initiative in promoting a more diverse transportation workforce.

“We are also pleased to make this a bi-partisan effort and when we approached Senator Baldwin to co-lead in this bill because of our state affiliation, she was quick to agree,” Voie added. 

The House bill will be initiated by Voie‘s US Representative Gallagher who went for a ride along with one of the WIT Image Team members to better understand the challenges female drivers face in the industry.

“Since WIT is based in Wisconsin, it is important for us to have our own congressman and senator supporting this opportunity which supports our mission,” said Voie. 

The Senate Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act can be found here (https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e/4/e49f6ecf-fd69-4f1e-9db0-99392bcb704e/C9EDBE9DF6EE96598418821C6634F34B.women-in-trucking-summary.pdf).

“This bill exactly supports our mission to increase the ranks of women working in the trucking industry, to address obstacles, and to celebrate success,” Voie added.